With the advent of the physical fitness boom, weight lifting machines of all shapes and sizes appeared on the market. Unfortunately, each machine typically provides for a very limited range of exercises, requiring several machines to accomplish a full workout.
Various means of resistance have been employed in the many different types of weight lifting machines. Hydraulic and pneumatic resistance, as well as cable supported lead weight resistance have been employed, with the traditional lead weight resistance machines exhibiting greater durability. Due to the fact that the weight stack is suspended from a cable for incrementally adjusting the amount of weight being lifted, the range of exercises available has been limited by the configuration of the lift cable. Typically, the cable is configured for extension and retraction in a single direction over a series of pulleys. Therefore, movement of the weight lifting bar or lever connected to the opposed end of the lift cable is restricted to a particular range or direction of movement, thereby requiring several different machines to complete a full body workout.